There was once a very good barber in NEW YORK , he givesFree Haircut to everybody who comes into his shop to have their haircuts. One day a florist goes to him for a haircut. After the cut, he goes to pay the barber and the barber replies:'I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service.' The Florist is happy and leaves the shop.
The next morning when the barber goes to open his shop,there is a thank you card and a dozen roses waiting at his door .
A policeman goes for a haircut and he also goes to pay the barberafter the cut. But the barber replies:'I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service.'
The cop is happy and leaves the shop.The next morning the barber goes to open his shop,there is a thank you card and a dozen donuts waiting at his door ..
A Singaporean software engineer goes for a haircut and he also goes topay the barber after the cut. But the barber replies:'I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service.'
The Singaporean software engineer is very happy and leaves. The next morning when the barber goes to open his shop, guess what he finds there............
Can you guess?
Come on, think like a Singaporean....
have you got the answer ........... ?
....................................................... a dozen Singaporeans waiting for a free haircut!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
From Elena Goh, again
"Five years from now, you’ll be the same person you are today
except for the people you meet and the books you read."
~ Charlie Jones
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I am feeling very tired & drained lately, especially during this period in my life.
Post-JCI and I don't think I will be able to celebrate.
except for the people you meet and the books you read."
~ Charlie Jones
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I am feeling very tired & drained lately, especially during this period in my life.
Post-JCI and I don't think I will be able to celebrate.
Got this joke from a friend ..
Once PVNR (PV Narasimha Rao), L.K.Advani and Laloo Prasad Yadav were travelling in an autorickshaw. They met with an accident and all three of them died. Yama Raja was waiting for this moment at the doorstep of death. He asks PVNR and Advani to go to HEAVEN.But, for Laloo, Yama had already decided that he should be sent to HELL. Laloo is not at all happy with this decision. He asks Yama as to why this discrimination is being made.
All the three of them had served the public. Similarly, all took bribes, all misused public positions, etc. Then why the differential treatment?
He felt that there should be a formal test or an objective evaluation before a decision is made; and should not be just based on opinion or pre-conceived notions.
Yama agrees to this and asks all the three of them to appear for an English test.
PVNR is asked to spell 'INDIA' and he does it correctly.
Advani is asked to spell 'ENGLAND' and he too passes.
It is Laloo's turn and he is asked to spell 'CZECHOSLOVAKIA'.
Laloo protests that he doesn't know English. He says this is not fair and that he was given a tough question and thus forced to fail with false intent.
Yama then agrees to conduct a written test in Hindi (to give another chance assuming that Laloo should at least feel that Hindi would provide an equal platform for all three).
PVNR is asked to write 'KUTTA BOLA BHOW BHOW'. He writes it easily and passes.
Advani is asked to write 'BILLY BOLI MYAUN MYAUN'. He too passes.
Laloo is asked to write 'BANDAR BOLA GURRRRRR.... .'
Tough one.. He fails again. Laloo is extremely unhappy. Having been a student of history (which the other two weren't), he now requested for all the 3 to be subjected to a test in history. Yama says OK but this would be the last chance and that he would not take any more tests.
PVNR is asked: 'When did India get Independence ?'.
He replied '1947' and passed.
Advani is asked 'How many people died during the independence struggle?'.
He gets nervous. Yama asked him to choose from 3 options:
100,000 or 200,000 or 300,000.
Advani catches it and says 200,000 and passes.
It's Laloo's turn now.
Yama asks him to give the Name and Address of each of the 200,000 who died in the struggle. Laloo accepts defeat and agrees to go to HELL.
Moral of the story:
IF YOUR MANAGEMENT HAS DECIDED TO SCREW YOU, THERE IS NO ESCAPE.
All the three of them had served the public. Similarly, all took bribes, all misused public positions, etc. Then why the differential treatment?
He felt that there should be a formal test or an objective evaluation before a decision is made; and should not be just based on opinion or pre-conceived notions.
Yama agrees to this and asks all the three of them to appear for an English test.
PVNR is asked to spell 'INDIA' and he does it correctly.
Advani is asked to spell 'ENGLAND' and he too passes.
It is Laloo's turn and he is asked to spell 'CZECHOSLOVAKIA'.
Laloo protests that he doesn't know English. He says this is not fair and that he was given a tough question and thus forced to fail with false intent.
Yama then agrees to conduct a written test in Hindi (to give another chance assuming that Laloo should at least feel that Hindi would provide an equal platform for all three).
PVNR is asked to write 'KUTTA BOLA BHOW BHOW'. He writes it easily and passes.
Advani is asked to write 'BILLY BOLI MYAUN MYAUN'. He too passes.
Laloo is asked to write 'BANDAR BOLA GURRRRRR.... .'
Tough one.. He fails again. Laloo is extremely unhappy. Having been a student of history (which the other two weren't), he now requested for all the 3 to be subjected to a test in history. Yama says OK but this would be the last chance and that he would not take any more tests.
PVNR is asked: 'When did India get Independence ?'.
He replied '1947' and passed.
Advani is asked 'How many people died during the independence struggle?'.
He gets nervous. Yama asked him to choose from 3 options:
100,000 or 200,000 or 300,000.
Advani catches it and says 200,000 and passes.
It's Laloo's turn now.
Yama asks him to give the Name and Address of each of the 200,000 who died in the struggle. Laloo accepts defeat and agrees to go to HELL.
Moral of the story:
IF YOUR MANAGEMENT HAS DECIDED TO SCREW YOU, THERE IS NO ESCAPE.
Friday, July 18, 2008
I appreciate my boss for buying us all pizza as we worked through the late evening yesterday.
Auditors should have bought toto and 4Ds.
Of all forms, they had to pick up THAT ONE that had a missing page! Someone slipped. But as usual, everyone will kena. We do not know who, except that something's got to give - one way or another.
Looking back, everyone slipped big time. Probably, everyone will have a couple of turns at the Wailing Wall.
I wish JCI isn't meant for pointing fingers or for shaking heads. I somehow feel many (if not most) of the pains and fright have been a little over-dramatic and probably self-inflicted. Perhaps that's the price we have to pay for wanting to be the top. In the end, I think if we receive the award, everyone deserves it. But I do wish that we do not accuse people of having slipped and still in the end, congratulate him/her for "everything".
We were probably all doing things we have thought to be 'right" until the standards and requirements were updated. Sometimes, a simple answer might have been better than trying to correct history at the last minute. Sometimes, there isn't only ONE right way to do things. There may be BEST PRACTICES, but certainly we can't straightaway treat anything that is different as being "wrong". They have been done that particular way still with the best intentions. Altho different from how you would opine, but they may not be as terrible as you make it sound to be.
I heard "Come on lah, how you could do things like this?!" And there have also been so many "You should haves ... " and "How could yous ... ".
"I had spent much of my waking hours working out how things could be run. Sometimes I wonder why, just a few months ago, I had thought everything was in place. I guessed people don't like to read emails and documents which I had painstakingly phrased and typed so that they could all understand. I stayed back and spent whole evenings just to try envision how certain workflows should run .... typed out the process and asked for opinions. As usual, nobody answered, except 1. In the end, everyone acted as if all the game rules came from me!"
"Hey, did you come up with the program?!" "Who made it run this way? This is stupid lah!!!" "Who gave you the right to ... ?" "Why you all do things like that???" "Why you never checked ?"
Still, I really wish I had stuck to fixing broken chairs and tidying up cables under the office tables. Life would have been so much simpler. I probably could have more fun during my precious remaining days on earth. Or just let me do simple errands, so that I could at least focus on my yoga, music and movies that I've been missing ..... I need to break away from this unnecessary game driving people nuts. Trying to make sure things are done right isn't a hard thing actually, except when you are dealing with others who believe everyone should contribute but there is only one - ONE - right way to do things. Strange, what had been right before, suddenly became the stupidest thing I have done.
Anyway, I should be learning to bake next. By a certain time, I would have been able to cook, bake, and make all sorts of yogurt shakes !!! Not much time left for me actually. Maybe that explains my sleepless nights and while in the day, I feel like a zombie. And my friends are probably looking towards clearing their annual leaves, go holiday, or learning a modality, or expecting a promotion.
This afternoon, while I was rushing through an explanation for a complaint letter, someone "K" came and talked to me. She is going to embark on another career path, and I really feel happy for her. She is good, and smart. She doesn't need to drive through more blind alleys and unmarked humps. I think we are in a hazardous occupation. Come JCI, having best practices listed in the Hall of Excellence is good, but all the more, having just ONE RIGHT WAY tends to keep us all too rooted to only one mindset. Whether that mindset is right or not, probably depends on one feels about the next JCI.
Auditors should have bought toto and 4Ds.
Of all forms, they had to pick up THAT ONE that had a missing page! Someone slipped. But as usual, everyone will kena. We do not know who, except that something's got to give - one way or another.
Looking back, everyone slipped big time. Probably, everyone will have a couple of turns at the Wailing Wall.
I wish JCI isn't meant for pointing fingers or for shaking heads. I somehow feel many (if not most) of the pains and fright have been a little over-dramatic and probably self-inflicted. Perhaps that's the price we have to pay for wanting to be the top. In the end, I think if we receive the award, everyone deserves it. But I do wish that we do not accuse people of having slipped and still in the end, congratulate him/her for "everything".
We were probably all doing things we have thought to be 'right" until the standards and requirements were updated. Sometimes, a simple answer might have been better than trying to correct history at the last minute. Sometimes, there isn't only ONE right way to do things. There may be BEST PRACTICES, but certainly we can't straightaway treat anything that is different as being "wrong". They have been done that particular way still with the best intentions. Altho different from how you would opine, but they may not be as terrible as you make it sound to be.
I heard "Come on lah, how you could do things like this?!" And there have also been so many "You should haves ... " and "How could yous ... ".
"I had spent much of my waking hours working out how things could be run. Sometimes I wonder why, just a few months ago, I had thought everything was in place. I guessed people don't like to read emails and documents which I had painstakingly phrased and typed so that they could all understand. I stayed back and spent whole evenings just to try envision how certain workflows should run .... typed out the process and asked for opinions. As usual, nobody answered, except 1. In the end, everyone acted as if all the game rules came from me!"
"Hey, did you come up with the program?!" "Who made it run this way? This is stupid lah!!!" "Who gave you the right to ... ?" "Why you all do things like that???" "Why you never checked ?"
Still, I really wish I had stuck to fixing broken chairs and tidying up cables under the office tables. Life would have been so much simpler. I probably could have more fun during my precious remaining days on earth. Or just let me do simple errands, so that I could at least focus on my yoga, music and movies that I've been missing ..... I need to break away from this unnecessary game driving people nuts. Trying to make sure things are done right isn't a hard thing actually, except when you are dealing with others who believe everyone should contribute but there is only one - ONE - right way to do things. Strange, what had been right before, suddenly became the stupidest thing I have done.
Anyway, I should be learning to bake next. By a certain time, I would have been able to cook, bake, and make all sorts of yogurt shakes !!! Not much time left for me actually. Maybe that explains my sleepless nights and while in the day, I feel like a zombie. And my friends are probably looking towards clearing their annual leaves, go holiday, or learning a modality, or expecting a promotion.
This afternoon, while I was rushing through an explanation for a complaint letter, someone "K" came and talked to me. She is going to embark on another career path, and I really feel happy for her. She is good, and smart. She doesn't need to drive through more blind alleys and unmarked humps. I think we are in a hazardous occupation. Come JCI, having best practices listed in the Hall of Excellence is good, but all the more, having just ONE RIGHT WAY tends to keep us all too rooted to only one mindset. Whether that mindset is right or not, probably depends on one feels about the next JCI.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Hope
"Even in the worst forest fire there is usually some form of life left that will help to bring life out of the ashes. "
Friday, July 11, 2008
There was this policeman. One day he shot dead a young man by mistake. For some reasons, he was not fully responsible for his death but he resigned from the force anyway. However, he felt so full of guilt that he felt he needed to find out what happened to the dead man's family. To his horror, he found that the dead man had left behind a younger sister who was still schooling at that time. Even before meeting her, his informers have already given him some info regarding the sister and how she had been coping without her only sibling. this man felt sorry for having killed her brother, and so decided he had to be close to that girl and be her guardian angel, just as much as her brother had been to her before he was killed.
This younger sister was brought into the home of an aunt who made her work at her cafe after coming back from school. There had to be some reasons why the relatives did not seem comfortable. She really hated the murderer and had been set on trying to find out how her brother was killed in what she had thought to be an accident. Yet, although it had been finally decided as an accident, the sister had refused to forgive the man who killed her brother.
But little did she know that her brother too, had actually joined the gang to rob the bank. He was new but becos he had needed more money, his bad friends pressurised him into joining them. Unfortunately, the attempt was foiled and within minutes of his first encounter with the police, the brother was shot while trying to help his friend.
This younger sister was brought into the home of an aunt who made her work at her cafe after coming back from school. There had to be some reasons why the relatives did not seem comfortable. She really hated the murderer and had been set on trying to find out how her brother was killed in what she had thought to be an accident. Yet, although it had been finally decided as an accident, the sister had refused to forgive the man who killed her brother.
But little did she know that her brother too, had actually joined the gang to rob the bank. He was new but becos he had needed more money, his bad friends pressurised him into joining them. Unfortunately, the attempt was foiled and within minutes of his first encounter with the police, the brother was shot while trying to help his friend.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Although the hammer is a great tool, it cannot be used in every situation.
Sometimes, you would have walked too far into the thick before you realise your blade is blunt or discover that you have wasted precious time.
Therefore, it is always good to pause a moment before embarking on any pre-set plan of actions.
Sometimes, you would have walked too far into the thick before you realise your blade is blunt or discover that you have wasted precious time.
Therefore, it is always good to pause a moment before embarking on any pre-set plan of actions.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Another quote from Elena (thank you)
"Any fool can make things bigger,
more complex, and more violent.
It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage –
to move in the opposite direction."
~ Albert Einstein
more complex, and more violent.
It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage –
to move in the opposite direction."
~ Albert Einstein
Sunday, July 06, 2008
home decor
Found this huge fish tank on display at a fish shop.
Imagine a really huge one down the side of the hall!!
This reminds me of my trip to the Mekong recently.
I hope our home painting should be of padi fields, neighbour kids, birds and buffaloes and a light shower ... wouldn't it be nice?
hmm.. Wonder if they have such a painting.
Think it will be cooling too.
Imagine a really huge one down the side of the hall!!This reminds me of my trip to the Mekong recently.
I hope our home painting should be of padi fields, neighbour kids, birds and buffaloes and a light shower ... wouldn't it be nice?
hmm.. Wonder if they have such a painting.
Think it will be cooling too.
My dream home
Nice or not? Wish this were my home. There will a thin "ultraviolet" line running along the edges ... and maybe up the stairs also.Every evening, for a few hours when the lights are dimmer, the place will look nice also.
Satay recipe
I'm not going to guarantee this will work for your tastebuds.
Ingredients for meat (meat not included)
a. Serai + Lengkuas => normal blend
b. Jintan Halus and kasar + ketumbah => dry blend
c. sugar
d. salt
Marinate
Add 3 tblspn of (a) and (b) each.
Add 8 tblspn of (c)
1 tspn (d)
Mix well and marinate. leave for 7 hrs
Ingredients for sauce
a. as for (a)
b. fried peanuts = > coarse blend
c Chilli powder
d. oil
e. salt
f. ajinomoto (optional)
g. sugar
Method
1. 2 tblsp of (a) + 1 small bowl of (b) + 1tspn of chilli powder + 1 tblspn cooking oil + 3/4 bowl of water + 1 tspn of Salt + 5 tblspn of sugar + a pinch of ajinomoto (optional)
2. Stir well
3. Bring to boil in slow fire
4. stir until cooked
5. Can add a little pineapple (grazed + grounded)
Ingredients for meat (meat not included)
a. Serai + Lengkuas => normal blend
b. Jintan Halus and kasar + ketumbah => dry blend
c. sugar
d. salt
Marinate
Add 3 tblspn of (a) and (b) each.
Add 8 tblspn of (c)
1 tspn (d)
Mix well and marinate. leave for 7 hrs
Ingredients for sauce
a. as for (a)
b. fried peanuts = > coarse blend
c Chilli powder
d. oil
e. salt
f. ajinomoto (optional)
g. sugar
Method
1. 2 tblsp of (a) + 1 small bowl of (b) + 1tspn of chilli powder + 1 tblspn cooking oil + 3/4 bowl of water + 1 tspn of Salt + 5 tblspn of sugar + a pinch of ajinomoto (optional)
2. Stir well
3. Bring to boil in slow fire
4. stir until cooked
5. Can add a little pineapple (grazed + grounded)
Yarn Yard
My company is going to be sucked into the JCI whirlpool soon. In the new economy, companies splurge millions and pay some others who could certify them as the #1.
Since there can't be so many #1s in this world, there's another very clever invention to justify even more millions into it:- BEST PRACTICE.
Can't be helped now. It's a whirlpool. Everyone is paying everyone else and it spirals upwards. Rising costs explains more intensified competitions, which in turn fuels this need to rise to the top and gain more visibility. In such an economy, millions are justified for any service that can help companies move up the next rung. This where tertiary industries come in.
It's either a cyclone which gets one sucked up, or a whirlpool which goes the other way. Either into greater debts (borrowings), or greater revenue. These companies probably don't care a dime where the money comes from. In the end, it's always the last layer of ordinary folks down the "food chain" that gets to pay up. There is no revenue for these folks. Only needs that are met. But nowadays, beyond basic needs, these folks have been educated they need better services, and better qualities of things they probably would need only for a short moment. If you don't know what I mean, just look at the TV monitors and carpeted flooring in the hospitals.
I really wish life could be simpler. We have since walked so far from that garden, populated the earth and desecrated all that is in it. We have done the abominable, and raise killers, thieves and cheats. We have ransacked from the earth more than we can consume, from earth to food; from food to trash and from trash to earth. Until we start having to recycle trash. Nowadays, there are already what seems to be good trash and maybe some places, some people have already started eating trash. As for the industries that made tons of money helping others make money, they sometimes need to recycle some of their ex-products & services, just so much like those in the fashion industries. You can recognise a bell-bottom or a sarong whatever the era. Just that in diffierent countries, they name it differently. Someone could have first brought it out from a 3rd-world country and sold it for more in another country just by sticking a few alphabets onto it. This "value-addedness" in a literate economy costs much less if you live in another country.
Since there can't be so many #1s in this world, there's another very clever invention to justify even more millions into it:- BEST PRACTICE.
Can't be helped now. It's a whirlpool. Everyone is paying everyone else and it spirals upwards. Rising costs explains more intensified competitions, which in turn fuels this need to rise to the top and gain more visibility. In such an economy, millions are justified for any service that can help companies move up the next rung. This where tertiary industries come in.
It's either a cyclone which gets one sucked up, or a whirlpool which goes the other way. Either into greater debts (borrowings), or greater revenue. These companies probably don't care a dime where the money comes from. In the end, it's always the last layer of ordinary folks down the "food chain" that gets to pay up. There is no revenue for these folks. Only needs that are met. But nowadays, beyond basic needs, these folks have been educated they need better services, and better qualities of things they probably would need only for a short moment. If you don't know what I mean, just look at the TV monitors and carpeted flooring in the hospitals.
I really wish life could be simpler. We have since walked so far from that garden, populated the earth and desecrated all that is in it. We have done the abominable, and raise killers, thieves and cheats. We have ransacked from the earth more than we can consume, from earth to food; from food to trash and from trash to earth. Until we start having to recycle trash. Nowadays, there are already what seems to be good trash and maybe some places, some people have already started eating trash. As for the industries that made tons of money helping others make money, they sometimes need to recycle some of their ex-products & services, just so much like those in the fashion industries. You can recognise a bell-bottom or a sarong whatever the era. Just that in diffierent countries, they name it differently. Someone could have first brought it out from a 3rd-world country and sold it for more in another country just by sticking a few alphabets onto it. This "value-addedness" in a literate economy costs much less if you live in another country.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Time-Out
My recent trip to the Mekong Delta.
Reminds me of the old house I used to live in (Charlton Lane).
It's no longer there of course. But during those days, there were also rambutans, franjipanies (?spellos), bananas, Jackfruits and other trees.
It's no longer there of course. But during those days, there were also rambutans, franjipanies (?spellos), bananas, Jackfruits and other trees.
I really miss the care-free days. I notice that children seem to be less concerned about their appearances, mosquitoe-bites, or however filthy the pet is. This is a good thing.
Nowadays, or when we become adults, we become more sensitive about the clothes we wear at work, the cosmetics, the "professional image" we project ("FACIE"), the way we talk and the amount of "environmental noises" that we encounter at our workplaces.
I really hate dealing with coffee-shop politicians. No matter how many layers of lead they surround themselves with. Or even if they are currently not near my CO2. The buzzing in the air can be irksome sometimes and it doesn't matter whether it is coming at you or not. People who tell you that or think this is a small thing obviously has never been bitten by a mosquito.
Smart-alecs and people who, for some reasons, believe they should be better than others, belong together as far as I am concerned. I classify them in the same genus as mossies becos if you are not careful, and by the time you get the itch, its virus has already gotten you into your bloodstream.
Anyway, this is not about these people and thank God, I don't get to encounter these lately. I just want this blog to be about how I wish to live life:- to the fullest and hopefully as little mossie bites as possible. I wish to be like these children, who seemed not to be the least bothered.
Before my cousin and I went there, we had covered ourselves with longs on top of a layer of repellent. tsk. tsk. But I see that the children playing with us were having fun more completely.
How nice to run around barefooted also. It seems we will do that for foot reflexology sake only.
The dirt didn't bother them.
The mossies also did not bother them.
Must really learn to be like them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
